Punishment
by Apple Flavoured Cheesecake
Summary: The story of Bellatrix Lestrange.


Chapter One:

It was loud, very loud, everyone was celebrating. Families were coming and we could all smell the feast being prepared. Its a great day for everyone. Mostly everyone. Everyone but me. Everyone had a career ahead of them. Everyone but me. All I had ahead of me was Rodolphus. Rodolphus Lestrange. He was the last thing anyone wanted, except a mudblood, half-breed or muggle- of course. And obviously I was stuck with him. Me, Bellatrix Black, the girl who had no future but one horrid arranged marriage. Therefore, I was not at all excited about today. Hogwarts graduation day. Crackers were popping in celebration and the halls were all done up. I stayed in my room, gazing in the mirror, crying.

My tears led from one thing to another. What was I going to do with my life? Leaving my friends, the few I had, Yaxley and Snape. I'd cried a sea of tears, I felt awful, I wanted to die. Everyone was at the end of year dance, I was glad I wasn't. I'd be made fun of, I was fucking tired of that enough already. That brought on a new bout of tears. Then I felt a tapping on my shoulder, there was Yaxley. How had he managed to get into the girl's dormitories? "Bellatrix! Where were you? Rodolphus was in a panic." Yaxley exclaimed.

"Rodolphus. I don't care. Fuck him. I wish he was dead and i n the bottom pits of hell." I replied. Rodolphus, why did he want me? He didn't love me. I was just like an acsessory to him. I didn't want anything to do with him. All I wanted was quiet, to be alone.

"Bellatrix, c'mon. Your family is there too." Yaxley said. He was trying to be encouraging, and failing dismally.

" I dobnt care. No. And I look horrible. Go on, enjoy yourself." I replied.

"No Bellatrix. You look fine. More then fine! You lookas great as you always look! Now, come." He tried to take my hand and pull me up, but I crucioed him. That spell had always been my specialty.

"Fine! I'll go. I know never to get on the wrong side of you." Yaxley squealed as he dashed out of the room in pain.

Just then Proffessor Dumbledore, the headmaster, apperated in. "Miss Black," he said sternly. That meant trouble.

"Yes, Proffessor." I say, putting on my most innocent tones.

"You just used a Unforgivable Curse on your friend, Mr. Yaxley, did you not?" He said. He'd hated me, since the first day he'd met

me.

"No sir." I use my most innocent voice.

"Miss Black, don't lie to me. I see right through you. You used the cruciatus curse on your friend." The Headmaster said sternly.

"The cruciartus curse is unforgivable? I never did pay attention in defense against the dark arts." I lie. He looks me over, I can tell, he knows I'm lying. His piercing blue eyes stare into my brown eyes and I shudder. Suddenly I feel cold.

"Why are you not at the final feast and dance?" Proffessor Dumbledore inquired.

I lied again. "I was trying to find something perfect to wear."

He flicked his wand. Then I saw, in the mirror, me, all dolled up, I, although it looked nothing like me, stood there looking extrodianary. A black dress, off the shoulder, laced and with a corset. Black shoes, stilettos. I looked perfect. How I'd always wanted to look in my dreams. "Thankyou, Headmaster." I said. He nodded and dissaperated. Now I had no excuse but to go to the dance.

I saw Cissy and Dromeda, my older sisters, standing there smiling happily and talking to Rudolphus. Why couldn't one of them have married _him? _ They smile at me, I wish I could spit at them and crucio Rodolphus till he dies, but I resist both impulses with great effort. "Would you like this dance, Bella?" Rodolphus asks. He holds his hand out to me excpecting me to take it. I glare at him and take his hand. I wish I was up there playing music. I wiah the corny CD was gone. I could play violin better then that, (for Mum had made me take lessons. Cissy got piano. Dromeda got singing. ) . Correction: I wish I wasn't hear t at all. Rodolphus twirled me unexcpectedly. I couldn't dance, I was rather a klutz at it. Rodolphus could, I'll give him that. One good thing over a million bad. He twirled me around again. We were moving across the dancefloor, he was leading, I was mindlessly following- coming up with a death scheme to implement on him tomorrow before the wedding. He lifted me off my feet. We were on the other side of the room from Cissy, Dromeda and Mum. I kicked him in the knee and he fell down. I smirked, "What did you do that for?" he asked.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to." I could feel Mum staring. I could feel her reading my thoughts. I pushed her out. I saw her shaking slightly from being pushed oit, I didn't mean to do it that hard.

"You don't love me, do you, Bellatrix?" Rodolphus asked. I knew he already knew the answer. He knew he already knew the answer.

"Of course not." I replied bitterly. _There was no reason to love him and I think he knew it quite well. He looked down hearted. I could tell he fancied me. _

_ I noticed Barty (Bartememius Crouch Jr) sitting there in the corner all alone. How I wished I was sitting by myself in a corner. The music stopped. I assumed it was getting late now, maybe this was almost over. this torture. _

_ After the ball the Slytherin's went up to the common room for the award ceremony. It wasn't official or anything, but it was a tradition. I trapsed down to the common room, talking to Barty._

_ "You danced with Rodolphus the whole time, didn't you?" Barty asked. I knew he fancied me. I could tell that from fifth year ehen he killed my boyfriend who I was sleeping with in the dungeons. It's not pleasant to wake up naked next to a dead man. I smiled at the memory. The days without Rodolphus. The days when I was free. _

_ "Bella?" he asked. _

_ "What?" He'd broken my revery. It was probably my favourite memory of him and house-elf-boy, as Barty called him._

_ "Are you beginning to love your future husband? Or are you going to sneak out and sleep with me at night?" he asked grinning slyly. Typical Barty. However annoying he was, I knew I would miss him. After all, he was one of my best friends._

_ "I would rather sleep with him then with you."_

_ "So you are inlove with him?" _

_ "No."_

_ "Then there's hope."_

"No. Go fuck yourself Barty."

The ceremony proved rather sucsessful. I came out of the ceremony with most talented and most attractive. It certainly lightened my spirits. Until everyone asked why I was being wasted on Rodolphus.

* * *

The next morning was graduation. So strictly and purposefully we walked out into the Great Hall. It was just like the sorting, but this time instead of saying hello to a new world, we were saying good bye. My last hours before the wedding. I was last. Almost everyone was gone. I kissed Antonin, Barty, McNair, and Lucius on the cheek and then I graduated Hogwarts. I would never go back until many years later, then, seeking coldblooded revenge.


End file.
